


Cattitude

by W4nderingStar



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe, Cat Fights, Gabe is human, I guess I just torment the ones I love, Jack is a Cat boy, M/M, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Outdoor Sex, Poor Gabe is learning all about having a Cat boyfriend, Reaper76 Week, SEP era, Scent Marking, Slice of SEP life, a little blood but nothing graphic, baby edgy dads, but also cats, much Cattidute, sexy knife fight, so Tom/Molly dynamics as well, things cats do
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-20
Updated: 2017-12-20
Packaged: 2018-09-18 20:40:10
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 13,203
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9402083
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/W4nderingStar/pseuds/W4nderingStar
Summary: Gabriel Reyes was a man with only two weaknesses. The first: his family. His sisters knew how to play him like a guitar. The second: Cat boys.





	1. In Another Life

**Author's Note:**

  * For [megsblackfire](https://archiveofourown.org/users/megsblackfire/gifts), [Midna_Ronoa](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Midna_Ronoa/gifts).
  * Translation into 中文 available: [Cattitude（翻译）](https://archiveofourown.org/works/9637223) by [AMithen](https://archiveofourown.org/users/AMithen/pseuds/AMithen)



> For Megsblackfire and Midna_Ronoa, because they fueled the catboy weakness I have until I had to do something about it! 
> 
> This story now has amazing fan art! The amazing MaidenM graced this humble author with fan art! Oh goodness everyone please enjoy it with me!  
> http://maidenmart.tumblr.com/post/156364089488/so-w4nderingstar-makes-great-fanfics-and-wrote 
> 
> This one is a little rough and a heck of a lot less fleshed out than my other works, simply because: 1. I needed to keep this under 200 pages and 100k words 2. deadlines 3. if anyone has seen my sanity please tell it to come home it is missed! 
> 
> So please forgive me for not going into as much detail and character building as I usually do!

**In Another Life**

Alternate Universe

 

Gabriel Reyes was a man with only two weaknesses. The first: his family. His sisters knew how to play him like a guitar. The second: Cat boys. 

 

He had no idea why. Plenty of alpha and omegas—who were all incredibly hot—had come onto him through the years. He could keep his composure around attractive humans no problem. But put a cute Cat boy in front of him? Suddenly his tongue swelled up, his throat went dry, and all ability to speak went out the window. The only thought that would run through his head was wanting to caress those fuzzy, little triangle ears and long tail. His alpha buddies back in basic had a field day with that. Every once and awhile the picture of his bunk covered in prop Cat ears would mysteriously crop up. Damn basic buddies were always good at taking you down a few pegs just when you were feeling cocky.

 

But his buddies were nowhere near as cruel as fate. He'd worked his ass off, climbed the ranks, got himself an officer position. The higher ups had been so impressed with his performance, they'd extended a coveted invitation into the mysterious SEP program. Rumor had it, it was meant to turn soldiers into superheroes. If he made it through, the world would lay at his feet. But his hard work was on the verge of turning to ash.

 

All because of his assigned roommate.

 

Jack Morrison. Blue-eyed, so blond haired it was nearly white, Cat boy Jack Morrison.

 

Gabe lost the grip on his duffel when he entered his assigned barracks and found a heart-shaped ass bending over one of the bunks, long, slender, black tail slowly drifting from side to side. Fuck. His dick was definitely interested in the one-point-two seconds of knowing that ass.

 

The Cat stood up and turned around. His black ears— _ Dios mio! _ Those perfect ears!—swiveling forward.

 

“Hey!” The smile that bloomed across the handsome face made Gabe's heart stop. “Roomie!”

 

“Uh,” was all Gabe managed to get out.

 

The Cat came forward, extending his hand. “Jack Morrison. Indiana. Nice to meet you.”

 

Gabe was far too busy trying not to watch the other soldier's enchanting ears to think of a response. He shook the offered hand. Only then did his brain process that an introduction had been made. “Gabriel. Reyes. LA.”

 

Those perfect—God so perfect, he wanted to touch them—ears pricked forward. “California native? How cool. Never been that far from the family farm. I'd like to one day. Heard the weather's beautiful out there. And the ocean? Can you believe I've never seen the ocean?”

 

Thank God Jack was talking because Gabe's tongue was the size of a grapefruit and his throat had constricted down to a cocktail straw. Holy shit. He'd never seen a Cat with Jack's coloring. Black ears and tail, white-blond hair. The contrast was so stark and fancy.

The ears folded back. “You have a problem with Cats or something?” Jack asked. His tone was casual, but there was a thread of iciness under it.

 

“No,” Gabe said. Not a problem at all. Unless you counted lusting hard after your bunk mate after knowing them a grand total two minutes a problem.

 

“I'd understand if you did,” Jack continued, his ears still back where Gabe couldn't see them. “Most Cats are pretty anti-social. Not like Dogs. We don't exactly make friends easy as they do. I was the only Cat on my base back home.”

 

Okay, Gabe needed to put a stop to that line of Jack's thinking if they were ever going to fuck. No! Not okay. Bunk mate. Rookie. Not okay for a superior officer to take advantage like that. “Sorry. Just jet lagged. I haven't slept well.” He smiled at Jack. “Didn't mean to give you that impression. I've got no problem with Cats or Dogs. My last company was nearly split in thirds. You're not the first Cat I've met. But you are the first one I've seen that's two colors.”

 

Jack ran his fingers through his hair. “Yeah, tuxes are pretty hard to find.”

 

“Tuxes?” Gabe asked.

 

“Tuxedo,” Jack clarified. “Black and white. Solid colors are a hell of a lot more common. Calios are really rare though, and only mollys.”

 

“Mollys?”

 

Jack laughed, showing off his stubby little fangs. That laugh was so bright and cheerful. Gabe liked it. Jack looked so cute with his little nose scrunched up and his blue eyes sparkling.

 

“Thought you said you knew Cats.”

 

“I know Cats,” Gabe clarified. “But I didn't pry. If they didn't tell me something about themselves, I didn't ask.”

 

Jack smiled again. Okay. Gabe's new life goal was to make Jack smile as often as he could. “You know how Dogs are Alphas or Omegas?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

“Cats are Toms or Mollys.”

 

“Oh. Boys or girls.”

 

Jack chuckled. “Yes and no. It's hard to explain.”

 

“I'm listening.”

 

“You're awful open minded for a human.”

 

Gabe arched an eyebrow. “How'd you know I'm a human?”

 

Jack burst out laughing for a solid thirty seconds. When he got himself under control, he wiped away the tears from his eyes. “You're hilarious. I'm glad I got paired with such a cool guy.”

 

Gabe arched an eyebrow. He'd been serious.

 

Jack sputtered and chuckled. “No ears or tail. And if that didn't give it away, my nose knows.”

 

Well, time for Gabe to go put his face in a pillow until he suffocated. Shit. He looked like a fucking idiot.

 

“Hey, it's okay. Everyone knows Dogs have great noses but not everyone knows Cats do too. So, hope you don't mind, I took the right bunk.”

 

“Left's fine with me,” Gabe said, relieved with the change of topic. He stooped, retrieved his bag and tossed it on the foot of the left bunk before collapsing into it.

 

Shit. It was going to be torment trying to keep his shit together sharing a room with the hottest Cat he'd ever laid eyes on.

 

“Gonna hit the shower,” Jack said. “Hope you don't need to piss for a little while. I take forever to get clean.”

 

“I'm good.” Gabe grunted.

 

Jack disappeared into their shared bathroom. The water turned on. Gabe rolled over so he faced the wall. Fuck. Jack, naked, in the shower, that slim body all lathered up and wet.... Gabe's pants were opened and his dick was in his hand in a second. Shit-fuck. He stroked himself, closing his eyes. He wanted those pretty lips around his cock, those little fangs grazing his shaft just enough to send a thrill through him. He thrust his hips into his fist, picturing his cock stuffed down the Jack's throat, cute little nose buried in Gabe's trail of hair. Those blue eyes glazed over with pleasure as they looked up at him, wanting more.

 

“Mmm,  _ gatito bonito _ ,” he rumbled, arching his back, cuming into his fist.

 

Fuck. He was so fucked. Digging a shirt out of his duffel, he cleaned up his hand. Fate was a dirty whore doing this to him, putting the hottest Cat on the planet in his bunk when he couldn't touch. His place in SEP was on the line. He couldn't afford to get kicked out. Somehow, he'd have to keep his relationship with Jack professional.

 

How the hell was he going to do that?

  
  
  


For the first three months, SEP kicked his ass, making professionalism easy. Hard to flirt with your hot bunk mate when you were puking all your internal organs into the toilet. Equally hard to flirt when the hot roommate was passed out in the tub after spending hours swinging from chills to fever.

 

When they weren't dying from the chemical cocktails injected into their veins, they were dying in the war games the trainers had them running.

 

At the three month mark, their bodies finally started showing results.

 

The Dogs had growth spurts, taking them up to seven feet. Sometimes more. They bulked up, their sense of smell sharpening. The Cats, already stealthy, became ninjas. So agile and fast, they dominated the obstacle courses without breaking a sweat. As far as Gabe could tell, he got a little bit of both. He shot up to six-four, put on a mass of muscle, but was faster on his feet then he'd ever been. His own senses seemed to improve. Soon, he and the other humans in the program could match the Dog's strength and the Cat's agility.

 

Except for Jack. No human or Cat could match him. He took to the program like an eagle to the air. He thrived where others faltered. Whatever the hell they'd put in Jack's veins was doing wonders for him. He was taller, trimmer, his body solid and graceful, his hair and fur more silky than ever.

 

The two of them were often paired together. The best of the best, Cat, Dog, or Human. They were the team to beat. After their training was done, Jack would walk with Gabe to the mess, chatting pleasantly all the while, his hand occasionally brushing against Gabe's. Sometimes, the black tail would flick just a little too far and touch Gabe's ass.

 

Suddenly, Gabe found his professionalism in doubt again.

 

At four months, Gabe's injections didn't mess with him so much. Yeah they still sucked, but they were bearable. Which gave him more time to contemplate how alluring Jack looked, laying on his belly in his bunk, studying a book, ears teasingly swiveling back and forth.

 

Shit. Gabe wished the injections still fucked him up because his dick—which had got an enhancement of its own—was causing problems. It let him know that in no uncertain terms, it wanted that pretty kitty and it wanted him now. His libido was off the charts. If Gabe didn't do something soon, he was going to snap.

  
  
  


One evening near the start of their fourth month in SEP, something weird happened.

 

Gabe jogged out to the war games field at dusk for night drills as usual, to find only a third of the recruits there. Gabe glanced around. Was this a test? Some kind of joke?

 

“Anyone seen Murphy?” someone asked. “Haven't seen her all day.”

 

“No,” a woman replied. “You seen Zhang? Last time I saw him, he was in the mess.”

 

Gabe took stock of his peers. Not a Dog or Cat among them. “Morrison hiding somewhere?” he asked the group.

 

Everyone glanced at each other, asking after their partners. Gabe bristled. Some kind of exercise? Humans versus Cats and Dogs? All of them versus each other? Humans left to fend for themselves without their partners enhances senses to help?

 

After ten minutes of Gabe plotting how to counter Jack if they were going to be on opposite sides, one of the program scientists pulled up in one of those annoying little golf-carts.

 

“Everyone, please report to the lab,” the woman said, pushing her glasses up from the tip of her nose.

 

“What happened to the others?” a recruit asked. “The Dogs and Cats okay?”

 

“Your fellow recruits are fine. Merely indisposed.”

 

“Day off then?” Gabe asked.

 

“Three days off,” the woman said.

 

A cheer went up through the SEP recruits.

 

“But it will be spent in the labs!” the scientist said. “It's imperative that you all come with me straight there.”

 

“What about our clothes?” someone asked.

 

“They will be supplied for you. Everyone please follow me!” She drove off in her little cart.

 

Something wasn't right. Gabe let most of his fellow SEP-mates pass him up before falling in. Casually, he slowed, dragging his feet until he was the last in line. When the golf cart rounded a corner, he slipped away into the main barracks. He made sure he wasn't going to be missed before striding off to his room to check and see if Jack was there.

 

The barracks were oddly quiet. There were only a few muffled voices. Not a single door was open. No one roamed the halls. It was too strange. Something was up. Gabe stopped before his door and put an ear to it. There was definitely someone breathing heavily in there. Gabe unlocked the door and let himself inside.

 

If he'd been holding anything, he would have dropped it in shock.

 

Jack lay the left bunk. Naked. His cheek pressed into Gabe's favorite hoodie, his heart-shaped ass thrust up into the air as one hand stroked his stiff cock. Three fingers of his other hand were knuckle deep inside his ass. He perked up when the door clicked closed behind Gabe. A sunny smile blossomed across his flushed face.

 

“Hey ya, Gabe,” he said, ears perked forward, tail fluffed out like a bottle brush. “So nice of you to drop in.”

 

Gabe's body froze up at his mind went into a tail spin. Jack was masturbating... on Gabe's bunk, rolling around on his hoodie.

 

“I was hoping I'd catch you before you went off for drills,” Jack said, like they were having a normal conversation. “But I must have just missed you. Oh well, you're here now.”

 

“What are you doing?” Gabe asked lamely.

 

Jack laughed, pressing his fingers deeper into himself before slowly dragging them back out. “Still hilarious, Gabe. What does it look like I'm doing?”

 

Gabe couldn't force the words past his constricted throat. Lazily, Jack removed his fingers and pulled himself up to his knees. Gabe had never seen him naked before. Or any Cat for that matter. They tended to want to keep covered and clean. His eyes hungrily took in the sight of Jack's perfectly toned body. Over his abs and belly, was a thick patch of white-blond fur. At the base of his tail, was another small patch of black fur. Oh fuck. Gabe ached to pet that fur so much.

 

“I want your help with something, Gabriel,” Jack said, chuckling like a little tease. “Won't you please help me?”

 

Gabe still wasn't over the whole Jack-naked-masturbating-on-my-bunk shock yet. His mind was still fuzzily trying to piece things together. His cock was being less than helpful, throbbing against his fatigue pants, making them tent. “Help you with what?” Oh yeah. That was sure smooth.

 

Jack smiled, showing off his little fangs. “I love how funny you are.”

 

Gabe gulped, forcing his adam's apple past the lump in his throat.

 

“Some idiot alpha didn't warn anyone about their rut and now they've set us all off.” He slid his hand down his chest, tweaking his pale-pink nipple. “I was hoping you'd help me through.”

 

“I don't....” Gabe shifted from foot to foot, trying not to stare at the feline perfection kneeling on his bunk.

 

“Oh.” Jack's rosy pink lips make a perfect little circle as his blue eyes sparkled. “You need me to spell it out for you.”

 

He laid his face back down, nuzzling into the chest of the hoodie. The long tail flipped up, arching over Jack's back and head until it touched the pillow. He spread his knees wider, something wet and clear trickling down the insides of this thighs. The sweet scent of honeysuckle ticked Gabe's nose.

 

“Does that clear things up?” Jack asked, grinning.

 

Gabe struggled to swallow again. Forget speaking. He was fairly sure the situation had turned him mute.

 

Jack pouted, sticking out his lower lip. “Gabe,” he whined, tail flicking, ears folding back. “Please?”

 

“Please what?” Gabe found his mouth asking, even though he was sure his brain had never agreed to such a stupid sounding question. It was clear as fucking day what Jack wanted.

 

Jack pushed himself up to all fours and slid off the bunk. Gabe's breath came faster. Such a simple, everyday moment had never looked so effortless and smooth. It was like Jack merely floated off the bed and across the room, feet never touching the floor.

 

He pushed Gabe against the door with so much force it rattled on its hinges. Jack's lithe body pressed against him, his fingers curling into the thin, gray SEP-issued shirt as his stiff cock dug into Gabe's thigh. He looked up at Gabe, pink tongue flicking out to slowly wet his lower lip. Gabe could only stare down at the other, frozen between shock and arousal. No Cat had ever come on to him before.

 

“Didn't think even you could be  _ this _ thick headed,” Jack said, his eyes half-closing as he nuzzled into Gabe's chest, inhaling deeply before looking back up at him. “I'm a molly, you idiot. And I'm in heat.” He reached up, grabbed the back of Gabe's head and jerked him down into a kiss.

 

Gabe's mouth opened of its own accord and Jack's tongue darted in. Their lips touched, Jack hungrily sucking at them like he was starving. Gabe's hands—again, of their own accord because his brain certainly wasn't functioning—grasped Jack's hips. With a thrilled moan, Jack bucked into him, tail thrashing, ears pricked forward, his whole body trembling.

 

“Want you,” Jack gasped between frantic kisses. “Want you so bad.” His nails dug into Gabe's pecs. “You're so handsome, and strong, and handsome.” He panted against Gabe's lips, tail flicking as he rut against him. “You're the top of SEP. No one's as smart, as strong, as you are.”

 

Alright, those words were definitely going to Gabe's ego and his cock. He pulled Jack closer, loving the needy whine that tore out of him.

 

“Mount me,” Jack moaned. “Gabe, please, mount me. I want you to fuck me into the mattress and breed me good.”

 

Gabe stopped. Breed. He knew that term. Back in basic, a pack of asshole alphas always talked about their wild weekends breeding omegas. His buddies told him omegas would do anything, say anything, to get fucked when they were in heat. If being a molly was like that, he didn't want any part of it. He pulled his face away.

 

Jack whimpered, pawing at the shirt. “Gabe! Please! I need it!”

 

It. Not him. How could he have imagined a Cat as sexy and perfect as Jack could want him? It was just the heat talking, wanting to get bred. Gabe grabbed Jack by the bicep and pulled him away.

 

“Stop.”

 

“Why?” Jack whined, ears folding back. “You want me, take me.”

 

“How—”

 

Jack smiled his dazzling smile again. “I told you when we met, Cat's have good noses. You don't think I know what you jerking off smells like? Please.” He flicked his tail, swiveling his ears teasingly back and forth. “You've wanted me since we met.”

 

Gabe's brain snapped back to functioning. How many times had Jack smelled him post-jerking it and never said anything? Probably didn't want to deal with a human's crush, but still keep him around for times like these when he needed a good fuck. And only a good fuck.

 

“Now you can have the real thing,” Jack purred. “Come on, be my tomcat and mount me.”

 

Gabe pushed off the door, yanking Jack with him to the bathroom.

 

“What are you doing?” Jack demanded.

 

Gabe ripped back the shower curtain.

 

“Oh, shower sex. I love—”

 

Gabe shoved Jack into the shower and cranked the cold water. The shower head spat ice and Jack yowled like a demon. He tried to lunge out, But Gabe pushed him back in, holding him under the water. Jack snarled and thrashed, his nails ripping bloody scratches into Gabe's forearm.

 

“Knock it off!” Gabe roared.

 

Jack's mouth snapped closed and he stopped struggling.

 

“You need to cool the fuck off,” Gabe growled getting partially soaked.

 

“Gabe... I—” Jack began, blue eyes wide.

 

“You're not in your right mind,” Gabe finished for him. “It's the heat talking. You're going to sit in there until you come to your senses. Understand?”

 

Jack nodded. Gabe let him go. Jack sank to the floor of the tub, wet ears pinned against his head, knees drawn up to his chest and his tail wrapped around him.

 

“Don't do anything stupid.” Gabe pulled the shower curtain closed and left.

 

He stripped off the wet shirt and pulled on a dry one so no one would know he didn't go straight to the labs. He let himself out of the room, locking it behind him.

  
  
  


Three days in the lab was boring as hell. And it gave Gabe way too much time to think. He lounged in a chair, only half paying attention to the viscous ping-pong match unfolding on a re-purposed desk with a line of surgical gauze as a net. The other humans didn't seem to be curious why their counterparts weren't here, they just enjoyed their free—if locked down—time off.

 

Idly, Gabe crimped and folded a piece of paper as he replayed his encounter with Jack over and over and over for days.

 

Had he done the right thing? Well it went without saying that it was the right thing to do. Sleeping with Jack when he wasn't himself was tantamount to rape. So what if he said he wanted it? That was just his biology overriding his common sense. They'd been roommates for months. Apparently, he knew he was the object of fantasy and could smell when Gabe had been masturbating. If he'd wanted it, there was literally countless opportunities for him to make a move. But he hadn't.

 

That said enough. Jack's offer was a product of an instinctual urge and the opportunistic appearance by someone that could fulfill it. Way to kick a guy when he was down, biology.

 

The door to the lab opened and one of the army instructors came in with a lab-coated scientist.

 

“Alright soldiers, playtime is over.”

 

“Everything is clear. You are free to return to your barracks. Regular training and injections resumes tomorrow.”

 

Gabe looked down at the small, white poppy he'd turned the paper into and slid it into his pocket. He was going to have to face Jack sometime. Better do it first thing and put all this behind them.

 

At his door, he hesitated. It really killed the fantasy knowing Jack wasn't interested. But it was for the best. Now he could get over him and focus on SEP. He opened the door.

 

Jack's ear cocked his way and he stopped packing. Shyly, he tilted his head Gabe's direction. “H-Hey, Gabe,” he said, quickly turning back to his nearly full duffel bag.

 

Gabe looked around the room. His sheets were washed, bed made to military perfection. His black hoodie, also cleaned, was folded on his pillow. All Jack's things were missing from the room, his own bed stripped.

 

“What's going on?” Gabe asked.

 

“I uh...” Jack's tail tucked between his legs. “I figured I should get a jump start on packing.”

 

“Why?”

 

The black ears flattened against his skull, hiding in the white-blond hair. “I made you uncomfortable while at the same time making a complete ass of myself.” He zipped up the duffel. “Didn't want to make things any more awkward when you asked me to change rooms, so I figured I'd at least spare myself that embarrassment. Sorry, I was hoping to be gone before you got back.”

 

“You don't have to go,” Gabe said. He couldn't imagine any other roommate, any other partner then Jack. Even if he couldn't have him, they made a great team.

 

Jack's cheeks turned crimson. “You're a good guy, Gabe. You don't have to say that. I know I made a fool of myself coming onto you when you had no interest.”

 

Gabe nearly laughed at that. No interest? If he only knew. “That's not true.”

 

One ear lifted slightly. “You don't have to spare my feelings. I know what I did. That cold shower said everything.” He put the strap of the duffel over his shoulder.

 

There was no way Gabe was letting Jack leave this room thinking that. “Jack, look at me.”

 

Demurely, Jack lifted his eyes. Gabe walked over, stopping a breath away from him.

 

“You weren't in your right mind the last few days,” Gabe said softly. “I wasn't going to take advantage of your heat.”

 

Jack's tail came untucked.

 

Gabe smiled. “I didn't want to be a mistake for you, not when you mean everything to me.” He slipped his hand into his pocket, running his thumb over the little paper flower. “So please don't leave. Not if you don't want to. I'd like it if we could do this the right way.”

 

“You didn't sleep with me... because you want to date me?” Jack asked, his ears perking forward.

 

Gabe nodded. “I didn't want to be a one night stand.”

 

“Oh, it would have been a hell of a lot more than one night,” Jack chuckled. “Seventy-two hours of nothing but marathon sex. Anything and everything you wanted to do to me I would have done happily and begged for more.”

 

Gabe shook his head. “Not what I want.”

 

Jack tilted his head to one side, one ear forward, one back. “It's not?”

 

“I want a friend, someone I can trust. What I really want, is to be wanted for who I am, not just to satisfy some biological urge.”

 

Jack's expression blossomed into something truly angelic. “You're not like any tom I've ever met.”

 

Gabe smiled back. “I'm not a tom.” He pulled the flower out of his pocket and presented it. “Jack Morrison, would you consider dating a human?”

 

Jack took the fragile little flower and cupped it in his palms. He beamed up at Gabe. “Consider it? Gabriel, I've been trying to get you to ask me out since we met!”

 

“You have?” Gabe asked.

 

Jack laughed. “God! You really know nothing about Cats do you? I've been trying to catch your attention.”

 

“Well, you have it now.” Gabe leaned in.

 

Jack put a finger to Gabe's lips and stopped him. “No kiss until the third date,” he said with a sly grin.

 

“Little late for that when you've nearly swallowed my tongue.”

 

“That was heat-Jack. This is high-standard-Jack. You've gotta measure up before you get any sugar from me.”

 

Gabe grinned. “Sounds like a fun challenge.”

  
  
  


 

 


	2. It's A Cat Thing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I caved. I had to write more CatJack. It was too fun.

Jumping into a new relationship was like starting a new book: what would happen? Where would it go? Would there be a happy ending? So far, none of Gabe's relationships had “happily ever after” on the last page. There were a lot of “tons of fun in college” or “started good, ended painfully awkward” and one or two “five star one night stand, would sleep with again if drunk.” That's what made relationships scary. The ending was always unclear. What if this new one was “tried something new, didn't work out?” He wished he could flip to the end of the book.

“Earth to Gabriel. Come in, Gabriel.”

Gabe snapped out of his thoughts.

“You going to eat lunch? Or just stare at it all day?” Jack leaned down into view, head tilted to one side, triangle ears perked forward, smile on his handsome face.

Damn. His new boyfriend was so cute. He hoped he'd found his happily ever after. Gabe smiled. “Sorry, just thinking.”

“Must be a new sensation for you.”

“Very funny, chuckles.” Gabe finally took a bite of meatloaf. “I'll have you know I think about once a day.”

Jack pressed the back of his hand to his forehead and leaned back. “My word! How ever do you accomplish such a feat of mental prowess?”

“Depends what I'm thinking about.” He popped a forkful of mashed potatoes into his mouth.

The toe of a boot pressed against Gabe's calf and slowly rubbed up and down.

“What were you thinking about?” Jack asked, innocent look on his face while his foot stroked Gabe's leg.

Gabe arched an eyebrow. Were they really playing footsie in the mess? “You know, things.”

The boot traveled up to Gabe's inner thigh. “What kind of things?” Jack pressed.

Grinning, Gabe nudged his foot against Jack's. “Fluffy things with cute ears.”

Jack put his elbows on the table and put his chin in his hands, ears flicking back and forth. “You think my ears are cute?”

“Maybe.”

Jack put on an exasperated pout, sticking out his lower lip so far it threatened to make Gabe stop his little game and laugh.

“Okay, okay! They're cute.”

Jack puffed up his chest and grinned. Gabe broke out into laughter.

“You think that highly of yourself?”

“It's nice to hear that I have cute ears.” One of said ears turned to the side and his foot dropped away from Gabe's thigh. “Ashland. Rodriguez. What's up?”

Gabe looked over at the two partnered recruits that walked over.

Rodriguez waved. “Hey, Morrison. Reyes, Sarge is looking for you.”

Gabe rolled his eyes. “Why?”

Ashland shrugged her slender shoulders. “He said it was 'none of our damn business. Just tell him to get his ass over here or your asses are going to be on dish duty.' So get your ass moving.” She reached out and grabbed the collar of Gabe's shirt.

Jack made a straggled scoffing noise. All three looked at him. Jack only smiled, his ears back, tail lazily flicking back and forth.

“We're finishing up lunch,” Jack said, like he hadn't just made a weird noise. “I'll make sure he gets there.”

Ashland cocked her orange ears forward. Jack's flattened against his head. She tightened her grip on Gabe's shirt and Jack's tail thrashed to the right.

Gabe looked at Rodriguez. He just looked right back and shrugged. What the hell was going on between the two Cats?

Jack's tail thrashed again and Ashland let go of Gabe's collar.

“Whatever,” she said, putting her ears back, her tail fluffed out like a feather duster. “Just get moving, Reyes. I'm not washing dishes.” She turned and left the table.

Rodriguez looked at Jack, then his retreating partner. “Uh, see you guys at drills.” He hurried to catch up to Ashland.

“What just happened?” Gabe demanded.

“What?” Jack asked, ears forward again.

“Don't do that. You and Ashland, what? Just had a pissing contest or something?”

Jack shrugged. “She was being rude. I just let her know it.”

She hadn't been any more rude than the rest of “the guys” and Jack had never done that to anyone else. Why was he being evasive about it?

“Alright, whatever. Just... if it's something important I should know about—”

“It's a Cat thing,” Jack shrugged. “Trust me, if it was important, I'd let you know.” He smiled. “Of course, I might have to be naked on your bunk to get it through that thick skull of yours, but I'll try.”

Gabe blushed. “That was different and you know it.” Gabe pushed himself up, reluctant to leave Jack when they were having such a nice lunch.

Jack stood up with him, half-eaten food forgotten. “I'll go with you.”

“Sarge didn't ask for you. You know how he gets about that stuff.”

Jack huffed. “Alright. But you should finish lunch first.”

“And keep him waiting? I want to keep my ass intact thanks.” He stepped away from the table.

Jack was at his side in a blink.

“What are you—”

“I can walk to the door at least.”

Gabe arched his eyebrow again. Fraternization wasn't forbidden. Hell, everyone in the cramped SEP barracks were all fraternizing the hell out of each other every night, but relationships were a big unofficial no-no.

Jack huffed, tail flicking. “It's walking you to the door, Gabe. Friends can do that.”

“Is this another Cat thing?”

Jack linked his arm with Gabe's and pushed him toward the door. “It's a friendship thing. Geeze, do you not want me to or something?”

Gabe shook his head. “No. It's just you're—”

Jack gave him another nudge. “Then come on. You don't want to keep Sarge waiting.”

This definitely felt like a Cat thing. Gabe surrendered to Jack's pushing and walked with him to the door of the mess. Jack pulled them up short and wrapped his arms around Gabe's neck.

“What are you—”

“When you're done, let's check out some holovids. Superhero movie marathon?”

“Uh... sure?”

“Great!” Jack butted his head under Gabe's chin, rubbing his hair and ears against one side of Gabe's neck. “We'll start with Cap and Ironman, then move onto the rest.” He nuzzled his face into the other side of Gabe's throat.

“Jack! What the—” He had to spit out a mouthful of hair when Jack lifted his head and rubbed his cheek against Gabe's face.

Jack unwrapped his arms from around Gabe's neck and shoved him away. “See you tonight.”

Gabe stumbled back as Jack turned on his heel and sauntered off back to their table. Every Cat in the mess hall watched him, then, like they were all part of a hive mind, Gabe found every single gaze on him. Dozens of ears cocked his way, tails slowly trailing back and forth.

Whatever had just happened, it was most definitely a Cat thing.

 

~

 

Gabe leaned heavily on Jack, and Jack leaned heavily on him. Gabe was certain their mutual leaning was the only thing keeping them upright.

“Still beat you,” Jack mumbled.

“You hit your head too hard. I beat you,” Gabe grumbled back at him.

“My team won.” Jack's words were more tired slur then conversation.

“I captured the objective. Technically, it was a draw.”

“Technically, kiss my ass.”

Gabe put his thumb on the lock to their room and Jack pushed the handle. They tumbled inside.

Jack fell face first into Gabe's bunk and didn't move.

“That's mine.” There was hardly enough room for him, let alone another bulked up SEP recruit. “What happened to movie marathon?”

Jack didn't move. Not a twitch of ear or tail. Gabe wondered if he could breathe. With his last bit of strength, Gabe struggled out of his dirt and blood covered shirt. After that, he let gravity take over and fell into the bed beside Jack.

He was drifting off when Jack moved and there was a face planted in Gabe's chest. Grumbling, Gabe looked down at his uninvited bed sharer. Jack was curled up against Gabe's front, arms tucked between them, face resting on Gabe's pec. Gabe knew he reeked. A week of uninterrupted war games with no showers had him reeking of sweat and other, even less pleasant bodily odors. But for whatever reason, Jack had his sensitive nose tucked in the heart of the stench.

Jack also had him pressed right to the edge of the mattress. There was at least half a foot of space behind him. If he would roll back over, Gabe could just squeeze in and not have to fear falling out of bed.

“Come on, Jack,” he whispered. He nudged at his partner. “Just a few inches. Come on, roll over. ”

Jack sighed in his sleep, pressing himself against Gabe, forcing him to teeter on the edge of the mattress. Gabe wanted to wake the idiot up, or force him to scoot over... but then Jack started making noise.

It was soft at first, but quickly grew louder. It was a throaty rumble and echoed through his chest. Jack was purring. It was the first time Gabe had ever heard any Cat make that sound in person. It was nice. Soothing even. Well, he sure as hell couldn't move him now.

 

~

 

“Hey! Reyes!”

Gabe looked over his shoulder at the other recruit heading toward his group. “What's up, Walker?”

“Wanted to ask you something.” The teenage Cat perked his gray ears forward. “I was wondering if you were free?”

Gabe hooked his thumb over his shoulder, pointing at the lab. “About to go get stabbed.”

“Oh yeah, well, later? I was hoping... well, I've been having a lot of trouble at the range. I was hoping that maybe you could give me some pointers?”

“That's what the instructors are here for, Walker.”

“I know, but they're not like us, you know?”

Gabe lifted an eyebrow. “Like us?”

“You know, enhanced.”

“Then you got a couple hundred other people to ask.”

“But you’re the best.”

There were only so many ways Gabe could say no nicely. “Look, kid—”

“Dylan.”

“Dylan. I've got plans after getting turned into a pincushion.”

“That's okay.” He stepped into Gabe's personal space. “I'm free anytime for you.”

“You need to backup,” Gabe said. His supply of niceness was quickly running out.

“Oh,” drawled a chorus of voices.

Gabe turned to see the Cats of his group watching with keen interest.

“You're asking for it, Walker,” a silver tabby said.

“Is your nose broken, kid? He's scented.”

Walker glared at the other Cats. “Mind your own business. We're just having a conversation.”

Gabe put his hands on the kid's shoulders and pushed him away. “And the conversation is over. Can't help you. I'm busy. Find someone else.”

“Please?” He dipped his head and rubbed his hair against Gabe's wrist.

“Walker!” snapped the tabby again.

Gabe yanked his hands away. “The hell was that?”

“Oh shit!” someone yelped. “Incoming!”

The scuffling of boots filled the air. Gabe looked toward the sound just in time to see Jack barreling toward them. How? When?

Walker leapt away like he'd been burned.

Jack shoved past Gabe, putting himself between the two of them. “Hey, Dylan,” he said pleasantly. “What's up?”

Gabe stared at Jack, then Walker. Both their ears were back, tails thrashing side to side like whips. “What the hell is going on?”

Jack put his hand on Gabe's chest, never taking his eyes off the other Cat. “Something I can help you with, kid?”

Walker drew himself up. “I was having a conversation with Reyes.”

“About what?”

“What does it matter to you?”

There was another chorus of “oh”'s from the Cats.

Gabe looked over his shoulder. The Dogs looked just as confused as he was. “Jack, what the hell is going on?”

“What was he talking to you about?” Jack asked, still not looking at him.

“Does it matter?”

“Just curious.”

“He wanted some help with his aim.”

Jack's ears didn't come up and his tail thrashed faster. “If that's all, I'm more then happy to help you out, Dylan.”

Walker's nose crinkled into a grimace. “I want the best.”

“He's unavailable,” Jack said. “But I'm a pretty crack shot myself. Why don't we go outside and I'll show you.”

Okay. Gabe didn't have to be a Cat to know fighting words when he heard them. He put his hand on Jack's shoulder and squeezed. “That's enough.”

Jack's ears lifted from out of his white-blond hair and he turned ever so slightly to look at Gabe over his shoulder.

“He's a kid. He asked for some help, I told him I couldn't. There are plenty of instructors that can help him out. Chill.”

Jack's posture finally relaxed, his tail slowing to a leisurely wag back and forth. He turned back to the other Cat. “That's a great idea. I'll tell Sarge you're looking for extra work in the gun range. That should keep you busy.”

Walker's tail fluffed out. Jack put his ears back again, his tail freezing in place. They stared each other down.

“Leave,” Jack said. “Now.”

They stared at each other again.

“Kid,” Gabe said. “Listen to Morrison.”

Walker's tail smoothed back down, his ears lifted. “Overreact much?” he shot at Jack before turning on his heel and marching away.

“What the hell was—”

Before he could get the rest of the sentence out, Jack whirled around, grabbing the front of Gabe's shirt and slamming him back against the wall. It wasn't hard enough to be an attack. It wasn't even forceful enough leave him winded. But it was enough to confuse the hell out of him.

“Jack—” He was spitting out hair again as Jack rubbed his face all over Gabe's neck and cheek. “What the fuck!”

Jack said nothing. After a few seconds of attacking Gabe's neck, Jack snatched his hands, rubbing himself all over them. The Dogs snickered. Gabe heard a distinct “cat toy” not so whispered. Jack let go of Gabe's hands and smiled.

“Okay, see you later.” He turned and headed back the way he'd come.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa!” Gabe snagged his wrist and brought him up short. “What was that all about?”

“What? With Walker? It was nothing.”

“Jack.”

The other smiled his dazzling smile. “Really, it wasn't anything important. Just had to straighten the kid out is all.”

“It's another Cat thing, isn't it?”

The Cats around him snickered.

Jack shushed them. “Don't worry about it. See you tonight.”

~

The day after injections was always free time. Gabe lay on his belly, reading the book he'd borrowed from the little library they had on base. So far, it hadn't been much help, but then, he wasn't exactly sure what he was looking for. So he started at the beginning. Maybe he'd stumble across—

A warm weight dropped onto his back. Gabe let out a less than dignified yelp.

Jack chuckled in his ear. “You should be more observant.”

Gabe shut the book and stuffed it under his pillow. “I was in my room. I didn't think I'd be attacked.”

“What'cha reading?”

“Nothing.”

Jack pressed his nose to Gabe's ear. “Is it porn?”

“No,” Gabe scoffed.

Jack reached for the pillow. “Then what is it?”

Gabe batted his hand away. “A book.”

“A sexy book?”

“A textbook.”

Jack reached for it again. “Then let me see it.”

“No.” Gabe batted the searching hand away. “It's nothing.”

“Then what's the harm in letting me see it?” Jack wrapped an arm around Gabe's neck and pushed him down, shoving his hand under the pillow.

Gabe growled, rolling over, keeping Jack away from the book.

Jack laughed, wiggling out from behind Gabe and crawling over him. Gabe grabbed Jack's wrists and yanked them out to the side. Jack collapsed onto Gabe's chest, their noses touching. Sparkling blue eyes stared into his. Rosy lips quirked up into a mischievous little smirk.

“Curiosity killed the cat,” Gabe said, his lips fluttering against Jack's.

“Satisfaction brought him back,” Jack quipped. He dipped his head and brought their lips together.

Gabe melted. Jack's tongue darted out, flicking along Gabe's lips. Obediently, Gabe parted them. Jack's tongue met his, both of them rolling together, licking along teeth, exploring. Jack ran his fingers through Gabe's hair, a soft moan escaping him. Gabe let go of his wrists, running his hands up Jack's arms, over his shoulders, and down his back to cup his perfect ass. Jack's breath caught in his throat when Gabe squeezed.

Jack made the best noises. Gabe wanted to hear them all. He wondered if... he trailed a hand to the base of the long, black tail. Carefully, he stroked it with light touches. Jack made a soft “oh” sound and started purring. Score one for the book. He let his fingers slide through the silky fur.

“Mmm,” Jack moaned, flicking his tail forward so Gabe could stroke it all the way to the tip.

It was so soft. Gabe smiled into the kiss as he played with the fluff at end the tail. God! Between that ass and this fur— Jack shifted forward, grinding their groins together. Gabe moaned as Jack tipped their heads back, deepening the kiss and—

Something moved under Gabe's pillow. Jack pulled away, the warmth disappearing from Gabe's chest as Jack got up on his knees, book in hand.

“Cats for Dummies?” he laughed, opening up the book.

“You weren't supposed to see that.” Gabe snatched at the book, but Jack jerked it out of reach, flipping through pages.

“Doing a little light reading?” Jack asked, playful smile still on his lips and an impish sparkle in his eyes.

No use denying. “Maybe.” Okay, a little denying.

Jack flipped to the dog eared page. “Cat's often enjoy tail petting,” he read. “Proper tail touching etiquette induces: a light hand—oh my god—a light hand upon the buttock, with a slow, fur following motion of the hand the down the appendage, ending at the tip. Note: some Cats do not like their tail tip touched, as it—holy shit—as it often is a more sensitive area and could cause pain, and or sexual stimulation.” He closed the book. “So that's why you suddenly went for my tail.”

“I didn't know, okay?” Gabe said. “Honestly, I thought you might smack me for it. Chapter ten said—”

“You've read ten chapters?”

“Thirteen.”

Jack laughed and set the book on the tiny nightstand between their bunks. “Lucky for you, I'm an expert on the subject. If you wanted to know something, all you had to do was ask.”

“I didn't want to be the idiot who had to ask you questions about everything.”

Jack put his hands on the bed on either side of Gabe's head, leaning over him. “But I'd like it if you asked me questions.” He kissed Gabe's lips. “I might even reward you for it.”

Gabe arched an eyebrow. “Really?”

“Really.”

They kissed again for a long time before Jack pulled away.

“So, thought of any questions for me?”

“Do you like your tail touched?”

“I do. If I've given you permission to touch it that is.”

“May I touch it?”

“You may.”

Gabe ran his hand down the soft fur again.

“And I'll tell you something else,” Jack said. “I like a light hand on my buttock as much as the next Cat.”

Gabe snorted, barely able to hold in his laugh. “Good to know.” He cupped Jack's ass with his free hand again, massaging it.

“But you know,” Jack whispered, his eyes half closed. “I like a firm hand on my buttock just as much.”

Gabe positively shivered. “And your tail tip?”

Jack smirked. “Well, I can tell you that it certainly doesn't cause me pain.”

 

~

 

Yet another Cat tail flicked against his back. Gabe put down his fork and glared over his shoulder. The female Cat flicked her tail at him again, cocking an ear his way.

“Sorry,” she said, sounding anything but. “Didn't mean to scent you.” She sauntered off laughing.

Gabe growled and turned back to his tray, glaring across the table at Jack. “What the hell is everyone doing that for?”

Jack pouted, his ears back. “They're teasing me,” he grumbled.

Gabe stabbed his fork into the table. “How?”

“It’s stupid.” Jack's ears perked forward. “I did it to myself.”

“What did you do?”

A rosy blush appeared on Jack's pale cheeks. “I might have overreacted when—”

Another cat bumped into Gabe, their blue-gray tail curling around his neck for a second before slipping away. Jack's pout deepened.

“Sorry, Morrison,” the Cat chuckled, walking away. “Don't pounce on me.”

“That's it!” Gabe slammed his hands down on the table and stood up. The mess hall went silent.

“The next person that touches me is going to lose limb. Fuck. Off.” He glared around the room, daring someone to say something.

They wisely didn't. He sat back down, yanking his fork out of the tabletop and stabbing at his salad. “What are they teasing you for?”

Jack's blush turned crimson. “I might have... overreacted a little with the whole Dylan thing.”

“When Walker asked for pointers with his aim?” Gabe asked.

Jack's tail flicked to the right. “Yeah.”

That whole conversation was... odd. Walker's weirdness. Jack's fighting words. But it hardly seemed like something to be teasing Jack about. “What did you overreact about?”

Jack stuck his lower lip out for a moment like a sulking child. “He was just being nice, and I might have taken that the wrong way.”

“He was being sotra strange, but I mean, he's a Cat. I didn't know if that was normal.”

One of Jack's ears swiveled forward while the other laid back. “It... is. He was just being... friendly.”

Gabe paused with the fork halfway to his mouth. “Overly friendly?”

“That's what they're teasing me about. They think I pounced on Dylan when he was just being nice.”

“Jack....” Gabe smiled, putting his fork down. “Did you think he was hitting on me?”

“No!”

“That's why you came running? You thought he was flirting with me?”

“He might have been!” Jack defended. “He talked to you without me there and when I came over he didn't deny that he—” He clamped his mouth shut and stared down at his tray, nudging the carrots around their compartment with his spoon.

Gabe chuckled. “I don't know if I'm flattered that you like me so much you came running, or pissed that you think I would be into a toddler like Walker.”

Jack deflated, sinking down like a leaking balloon. “It's not like that. We never discussed our status. If I jumped the gun defending you when you want to have an open—”

“I don't,” Gabe said. “I like it just us. Unless you don't?”

Jack's ears and tail perked up and he smiled. “I'm good with us. Really good.”

Gabe shrugged. “Then it's just us. You don't have to worry about some other Cat being overly friendly.”

“Yeah, I do,” Jack scoffed.

Gabe arched an eyebrow. “You don't trust me?”

“Not you, them.” Jack waved his spoon at the mess hall. “They all want you.”

Gabe laughed. “Even if that were true—” He reached across the table and put his hand over Jack's. “—I'm already taken.”

 

~

 

Gabe enjoyed reading. SEP didn't allow him much down time to read, so when he did get a few scant hours free, he liked to sprawl on his bed and relax. Today, he was going find out if Samantha was ever going to tell Carlos that, despite him being a biker werewolf, she loved him and knew he was really sensitive. That was if she could ever get her overbearing vampire half-brother off her case. And if she could broker peace with the faeries. Damn. And he thought being a super soldier was hard.

The pages suddenly vanished under two hundred pounds of muscle and fur.

“What'cha doin’?” Jack asked.

Gabe rolled his eyes. “I was reading.”

“I'll help.”

Gabe laughed. “Help with reading?”

Jack rolled onto his back, book still firmly stuck under his shoulder. “I'm very helpful.”

“That you are.” Gabe leaned in, capturing Jack's lips.

He could always read later.

 

~

 

Gabe ignored the nudge at his elbow. He was concentrating on the briefing. The nudge came again. Gabe looked at the offender.

“Hi.” The orange and cream Cat smiled at him.

“Hi.” Gabe turned back to the instructor speaking. This was the brass fishing for officers and he'd be damned if some idiot sitting next to him messed up his chance for a good rank because he wanted to chit-chat.

“You're a talkative one, aren't you?”

“Not as much as you.”

“Bradley Shaw, Charlie company.”

“Good for you.”

“What are you worried about? I can tell you were an officer before we all got the boot.”

“I prefer to earn my rank. Not just assume I'm going to be given one.”

“Me-yow,” Shaw chuckled. “I'm supposed to be the Cat here.” He rolled his chair closer. “Didn't catch your name.”

“Reyes. Now can you let me get back to the briefing?”

Shaw's ears cocked forward. “Reyes? Gabriel Reyes from Alpha company?”

“Yeah.”

Shaw smiled. “So you're the guy everyone's talking about.”

Gabe arched an eyebrow. Being known in his own SEP group was one thing, but another group knowing him? Shaw's arm rubbed against his.

“It's not every day I get to sit next to the guy that set the bar for SEP excellence.”

Gabe's lips threatened to turn up into a smile. It was nice his hard work was getting some recognition.

“Shaw! Reyes!”

Both of them faced the instructor.

“Since you two old ladies like to talk so much, you can be partners on the test.”

There was a test? Shit!

 

~

 

“You're back late,” Jack commented the moment the door opened.

Gabe closed it behind him. “Sorry. Hope you weren't waiting up for me.”

“Reading,” Jack said. He put the book down, his ears swiveling forward and back several times. “How'd it go?”

“They're looking for officers,” Gabe shrugged, taking off his standard issue jacket and tossing it at his bed. It landed just short of the target.

“You were one before right? Should be a piece of cake.”

“Should have been. But they sprang a surprise test on us. Thought it was just going to be interviews. Shaw wouldn't shut up the whole time and—”

“Shaw?” Jack asked, ears tilting back. “Who the hell is Shaw?”

“Guy from Charlie campy. I got stuck with him for the test. All he did was talk to me the whole time.”

“Sounds like jerk.”

Gabe stretched, yawning. “He wasn't so bad once you tuned him out. Just chatty as all hell. And way too perky. You need the shower? I do.”

“All you,” Jack said. He sounded distracted.

Gabe pulled off his shirt and headed for the bathroom. He splurged and took a seven minute shower instead of four. When he came out, his discarded clothes were on Jack's bed and he was gone. Weird. Gabe pulled on his sweatpants, got in bed and started reading.

By three in the morning he was pacing the room, wondering where the hell Jack was. He was out past curfew. Where the hell could he have gone? Was it something with the injections? Had to be. Jack was having a bad reaction and he was in the medbay. Gabe grabbed his jacket off Jack's bed and jogged to the med bay.

The graveyard admit nurse looked up from his tablet when Gabe came running up. “What are your symptoms?”

“My partner's missing. Is Morrison here?” Gabe asked.

“Yeah. He's here.”

Fuck! “What's wrong? Was it a reaction? How bad is it?”

The nurse snorted. “Oh yeah, it was a real bad reaction. Turns out, his face is allergic to fists.”

“What?”

The nurse arched an eyebrow. “Do I need to spell it out? Your partner got dragged in here for fighting.”

“Fighting?” Jack? The guy that was everyone's friend? The guy who broke up fights? “You're sure?”

“They both came in bloody and beaten. Cats are vicious man. The doctors are pissed.”

“Can I see him?”

“You know you can't. Take a seat. As long as they didn't break anything, it should only be a patch job.”

Gabe didn't sit. He paced up and down the short row of chairs. Who the hell could Jack have gotten in a fight with? Everyone liked him.

Thirty minutes Gabe paced. Finally, the door opened. He whipped around. Jack sported a giant black eye, half a dozen small butterfly bandages, and his shirt was dotted with blood. When he spotted Gabe, he beamed.

“What's up?”

“What's up?” Gabe demanded, storming over. “What's up? That's all you have to say?”

Jack arched an eyebrow. “How are you?”

“It's nearly four in the morning, you disappeared and I find you in the medical ward because you were fighting and all you have to say is 'what's up?'”

Jack frowned and pulled Gabe's jacket. “Take that off.”

Gabe knocked away Jack's hands. “What the hell is going on?”

“Take off the jacket.”

“The jacket stays until you tell me what you were doing fighting.”

Jack huffed. “I wasn't fighting. I was winning.”

“Answer the question.”

“Take off the jacket.”

Gabe grit his teeth, taking deep breaths through his nose. “Fine.” He took off the supposedly offending jacket. “Talk.”

Jack ripped the jacket out of his hands. Gabe barely got the indignant “hey!” out, before Jack tore the jacket in half.

“What the hell was that for? I liked that one.”

Jack dropped the pieces to the floor, kicking the halves away from them.

Gabe pinched the bridge of his nose, telling himself to stay calm. There had to be a reasonable explanation. “You've made me worry. You've pissed me off. And now, you've ruined my favorite jacket. You have five seconds to explain.”

“Not here.” Jack took Gabe's wrist and pulled him out of the waiting room.

Gabe should yank his hand away. He should tell Jack that he didn't just get to disappear, than show up in medical bloody and bruised without explaining why. But he didn't do either of those things. Jack's ears were in that just poking out of his hair position that Gabe knew meant he was upset. The black tail was too puffy for his normal relaxed self. They trudged back to their barrack. Once they were finally alone with the door closed, Jack let go of of him and started pacing the small space between their bunks.

“You came back reeking of Tom! What was I supposed to do?”

Gabe shook his head. “Did you just have a conversation I wasn't in on?”

Jack kept pacing, tail lashing from side to side, puffing up to even fluffier fullness. “The bastard could smell you but he did it anyway. I should have killed him. If he does it again, I will!”

Gabe reached out, grabbing the other by the wrist, halting him mid-stride. “Jack. Stop.”

Jack finally looked at him, the blue-black bruise around his eye made a twinge of irrational rage course through Gabe's veins.

“Talk to me, blondie,” Gabe said, rubbing Jack's arm. “What's going on?”

Jack let out a frustrated breath, tail whipping back and forth.

“Start from the beginning. I'm listening.”

The cute black ears swiveled forward and his tail finally slowed. He took a breath. “There was another Cat at your meeting.”

“There were a few of them.”

Jack pouted at him. “He was a Tom Cat and he scented you.”

“Scented me?”

“It's a Cat thing. You wouldn't understand.”

“It's important to you. Explain it to me so I understand.”

Jack let out a sigh and all the tension left his body. He sat on his bunk and hung his head. Gabe sat next to him.

“It's a thing....” Jack began. “It's how Cats... show the rest of world what's... off limits.”

“Off limits?”

Jack lifted his head and looked at Gabe. “When a Cat has something he or she wants the rest of the world to know is theirs, they rub their scent all over it, so that way any Cat the wanders too close knows that it belongs to someone else.”

“Like a territory marker.”

“Yeah.”

“And this Tom tried to territory mark me?”

Jack growled, his ears going back once more. “He did more than that. He basically put up a neon sign above your head that said 'property of a giant douchebag.'”

“And that's not what you've been doing when you rub yourself on me?” Gabe asked, giving Jack a playful smile.

“Of course not. I just did a soft 'this man is currently entertaining the idea of possibly dating someone' scent so other Cats would know we had something going on.”

“And that's why you bolted when I came back? You smelled another Cat?”

“I smelled that a Tom had been all over you when you were clearly already seeing another Cat. But he ignored my scent. And I wasn't going to let him get away with that.”

“So you fought him.”

Jack lifted his chin. “I beat the shit out of him.”

“And Cats do this all the time?”

“If someone ignores the rules.”

Gabe shook his head. “Jack, we need to talk about this possessive behavior.”

“I'm not—”

Gabe held up his hand and Jack's response died away.

“We're different people. I get that territory scenting is part of you, and I respect it. But if someone flirts with me, that my businesses, and I will handle it.”

Jack's ears came up and his jaw flexed like he wanted to say something.

“If you had told me what Shaw did, I would have explained to you that yes, he was overly friendly, but no, I'm not interested. If he would have asked me out, I would have turned him down. And if he'd tried to be more forceful, I would have put his face through the roof.”

“I know but—”

Gabe held up his hand again. “What you did could get you in a fuck-ton of trouble. Shaw might not be a higher rank than you right now, but you could still get blowback from the Brass. Or worse, one day Shaw will end up your commanding officer.”

Jack made a low growling sound. Gabe put his hand over Jack's and the growling stopped.

“Jack. I chose to be with you. Not Shaw. Not Walker. Not any other Cat that comes along.”

“But—”

“No buts.” Gabe leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to Jack's cheek. “Cats can scent me all day, but I'm in your arms, because you're the one I want.”

Jack's eyelids fluttered close as he pressed his forehead to Gabe's. “You mean it?”

“Of course I do.” He kissed Jack's lips. “Besides, Shaw's not my type.”

“Then what is your type?” Jack asked, ears swiveling forward.

“Tuxedos,” Gabe said with a grin.

“Then I know who I need shank,” Jack said, kissing him back.

Gabe chuckled, running his hand through Jack's hair. “How the hell am I going put your mind at ease?” He cupped one of the cute little ears and stroked it with a thumb.

“We could make out until that douchebag's scent is gone. That'd be a start.”

Gabe grinned. “I can do that.”

 

~

 

The objective was left undefended. Gabe checked the surroundings one last time before darting out. The blue flag was in his hand and he was off before any of the other team noticed. He was half a mile away before he heard them yelling. He grinned. No one had a ghost of a chance of catching him now.

He hooked a right into thicker underbrush to take a shortcut back to his team's base. Jack was going to cry when he saw—

Something crashed into him out of nowhere. Gabe hit the dirt and rolled, brush and needles tearing at him. He sprang to his feet. Shit! He'd lost the flag! He glanced around. A glint of blue in the all the green caught his attention. He started for it. Someone stepped in front of him.

“Looking for something?”

Gabe paused and looked up. A blue-team bandana covered the nose and mouth of his attacker, but Gabe only had to see the Pacific-blue eyes to know who it was.

“Jack, Jack, Jack,” he said, straightening up. “You've already lost.”

“Really?” Jack drawled. “Because I'm pretty sure I stopped you from taking my flag.”

Gabe grinned. “Which I will be taking back in a moment.”

“Don't think so.”

“Really?” Gabe asked, stepping toward Jack. “And who's going to stop me?”

Jack pulled something out of his pocket and flicked his wrist. A silver sliver of metal glinted in the sunlight. A thrill went up Gabe's spine. Fuck. That was hot.

“You gonna stab me?” Gabe asked, hoping to God that he wasn't tenting his fatigues.

“Naw,” Jack said, twirling the knife almost casually between his long fingers. “Maybe just bloody you up a little.”

Gabe whipped out a hand and reached for Jack's wrist. Jack rolled his wrist into the grab and slashed up. Gabe had to dance away from the blade. The tip caught in his shirt and ripped it from nipple to collar bone. He staggered back a step. Jack grinned, twirling the knife again.

Gabe put his hands on his shirt and looked at the slash. He looked up at Jack. “I liked this shirt.”

Jack grinned. “I like you better without it. Maybe I'll cut the rest of it off.” He pounced, slashing with the knife.

Gabe jumped away, turning out of the way of a back slash. He punched at Jack's elbow. Jack twisted out of range slashing again. They broke apart. Gabe tried to draw Jack into circling, but Jack wouldn't budge.

Jack went left. Gabe went to block him. It was a feint. Jack came at him from the right. If Gabe hadn't been in SEP, his guts would have been on the ground. He managed to wrench himself out of the way. His balance hung by a thread. Jack rushed him, tackling him to the ground.

It knocked the wind out of him. Gabe gasped as Jack straddled him, knife lifted above his head. Gabe caught the blow on the downswing, turning it aside. The weapon slammed into the dirt. Gabe bucked and rolled Jack off him. Jack's claws hooked into Gabe's shoulders and they rolled down a steep embankment.

They hit mud. Gabe outweighed Jack by a dozen pounds or more. Grappling was his specialty. He locked his legs around Jack's and twisted, pinning Jack to the mud. Jack struggled against the hold, bandana falling free.

“You give up, gatito bonito?” Gabe asked.

“Fuck no!”

Gabe glanced up. There was a stream a few feet away from them. Well, that explained the mud. It also gave him leverage. He smirked down at Jack.

“Last chance. Give up, or you're getting a bath.”

Jack turned his head, saw the water, whipped back around. He bared his fangs. “You wouldn't!”

Gabe leaned closer. “Wouldn't I?”

Jack's eyes widened and his ears laid back. “Don't you dare!”

“Try and stop me.”

Jack's ears perked forward and his lips turned up. “Alright.”

Faster than Gabe could react, Jack got a hand free and grabbed the back of Gabe's head, pulling him down. Their lips crashed together. Gabe let go of Jack's wrist as he opened his mouth. Jack's fingers hooked into claws, carding through Gabe's curls just hard enough to make him shiver.

He tried to pull away, but Jack wrapped his arms around Gabe's neck, locking them in place. Well, he couldn't fight that. Jack's tongue slipped into Gabe's mouth, coyly licking along his teeth, sliding along his tongue. To hell with training. Gabe relaxed into the kiss, planting his hand in the mud to steady himself as Jack's fingers raked down Gabe's shoulders.

Jack canted his hips up. Gabe gasped into the kiss. Jack's erection pressed teasingly into his thigh, dangerously close to his own. He tore his lips away.

“Jack,” he admonished.

Jack gave him a sultry grin in response.

All Gabe's vocabulary seemed to have gotten lost somewhere. “Jack!” he said again.

Jack bit his lower lip, slowly sliding his teeth along it. His pupils were huge as he grinned.

“Here?” Gabe managed to find another word. “Now?”

“You just look so good,” Jack purred. “Not everyday someone bests me in a knife fight.” He arched his back, his hips lifting, stiff erection sliding against Gabe's.

Thinking suddenly became a lot harder. Gabe clenched his teeth, shivering as Jack unlocked their legs and instead intertwined them.

“Jack,” he said again, softer.

Jack's ears went back and his gaze lowered. “Is something wrong with me?” he asked.

“What?” Gabe blurted, his normal eloquence lost in rush of blood and lust.

Jack let go of him. “If it's weird, just tell me.”

“If what's weird?”

Jack pouted, lifting his gaze again. “If you don't want to have sex with me just say so. Don't lead me on.”

Gabe needed a minute to process. “You think I don't want to have sex with you?” That sounded slightly less moronic in his head.

Jack huffed and looked away. “You never take things past making out. When I hint that I want more, you don't pick up on it. And now when I couldn't be any more clear....” He sighed. “Maybe we should just call it off if I weird you out that much.”

That's what he thought? “Jack.”

Jack stubbornly didn't look at him. Gabe cupped Jack's face and turned him back to him.

“You've got it all wrong.”

“Do I?” Jack demanded.

Gabe leaned down, pressing a soft kiss to Jack's mud flecked lips. Slowly, the tension left Jack's frame. He kissed back, his hands slowly sliding up and down Gabe's back. Carefully, Gabe lifted his lips away.

“This isn't a game to me,” he said, softly. “I like you Jack, really like you. I like when we sit on the couch in the rec and watch movies together. I like sitting with you in the mess talking about our days. I like just being with you, being around you. The last thing I want to do is fuck everything up by going too fast.”

“Too fast?” Jack asked, his voice husky and eyes half closed.

“I'm not looking for a fuck buddy,” Gabe said. “I want you as a partner beyond the bedroom.”

Jack's eyelids fluttered. “You do?”

Gabe kissed him again until Jack purred. “I do.”

Jack's fingers dug into Gabe's shoulders. “Gabriel Reyes. Fuck me. Right. Now.”

“But I just—”

Jack's nails sunk in deeper. “That's the most romantic thing anyone's ever said to me,” Jack growled. “It's not too fast. I've wanted to jump you forever, idiot.”

Gabe got a flashback of Jack's heat, when he wasn't himself and begging for sex. “If you're in heat—” he began.

Jack cut him off with a searing kiss that left Gabe gasping for breath. “Not in heat. Turned on, wound up, and I want you so bad it fucking hurts.” He kissed him again. “You'd think you'd be able to tell the difference, you read thirteen chapters of Cats for Dummies.”

“Finished it,” Gabe said. “Didn't find the chapter on this.”

Jack growled, lifting his hips again. “Then let me spell it out for you. I'm horny as all hell and I want you buried so deep in my ass I won't know where you end and I begin.” He yanked Gabe down again, claiming his mouth with teeth and tongue.

“But we don't have—” Gabe's protest was cut off in the middle by more kissing. “—lube or a condom.”

Jack rolled his eyes. He reached down and undid the button and fly on Gabe's pants, sliding his hands inside. “We don't need them,” he purred, wrapping his hands around Gabe's cock and stroking.

Gabe choked on his reply as Jack's talented hands worked him to fullness.

“Mmm,” Jack rumbled, kissing Gabe's chin. “As big as I hoped you'd be.”

With his last bit of frontal lobe thinking, Gabe managed to pause for one last rational argument. “Seriously Jack, we need something.”

Jack's skillful hand never stopped stroking him. The pad of his thumb massaged the swollen head so perfectly Gabe thought he might cum right then. Shit. It'd been forever since he'd been laid.

“We're pumped so full of crazy chemicals we're clean,” Jack purred. “As for lube, I've got that handled.”

Seemed like a good enough argument. Gabe gave up thinking and gave into Jack. He bucked into the stroking, hands undoing Jack's belt and fly. Jack let out a soft gasp that had Gabe throbbing. Jack shimmied his pants down to his knees and rolled over onto his belly, looking over his shoulder.

“Come on, Gabe, mount me.” He spread his knees wide, thrust his ass into the air, and lifted his tail.

Gabe bit his lip. Jack's hole was already wet with clear fluid that dribbled down his thighs. Carefully, he traced his fingertip around the entrance that was already warm and pliable. Jack mewled at the touch, his tail flicking. Gently, Gabe pressed his finger inside. It was greedily swallowed up to his knuckle with hardly any resistance.

“Gabe!” Jack moaned. “Fuck! Please! I need more than that!”

God, he sounded so good breathless with pleasure. Gabe dipped another finger inside, meeting some resistance. Jack mewled again, shivering. Scissoring his fingers, Gabe opened him up. Jack's body yielded quickly, allowing a third and fourth finger in rapid succession.

“Gabe!” Jack panted, rocking himself against the fingers. “Please! I need you! I need all of you!”

Gabe withdrew his fingers, putting one hand on Jack's perfect heart-shaped ass and the other on his cock. “Easy, gatito.”

Jack looked over his shoulder with a smirk. “You know, to fuck me, you have to find a way to get your dick into my hole. Need directions?”

Gabe smiled. He was head over heels in love with everything about Jack Morrison. “You're the one that wants to get lost on my cock.”

Jack opened his mouth for a comeback. Gabe pressed the head to Jack's slicked hole and slid inside. Whatever Jack was going to say, it came out a wanton moan. Music to Gabe's ears. He groaned as Jack's walls fluttered and contracted around him, pulling him in deeper.

“Shit!” he gasped.

Jack spread his knees, arched his back and moaned again. “Yes! Fuck yes! More!”

Gabe put both hands on Jack's ass, pressing himself in deeper. Jack gave way to him like nothing he'd ever felt before. There was hardly any resistance as his cock probed deeper, the hot body squeezing him perfectly. When his hips met Jack's ass, it was a shock that he'd bottomed out so fast.

“Fuck,” Gabe breathed, shivering with sensation.

“Yes,” Jack hissed back, tail fluffing out. “Perfect fit! Better than perfect!” He mewled, fingers digging into the mud. “Come on, show me what kind of Tom Cat you are, big boy.”

Gabe hardly had time to catch his breath. He patted Jack's ass. “What's your rush? I've got all the time in the world for this.”

Jack's tail thrashed to the right as his ears pinned back. “Gabriel.”

Gabe smiled, shifting his hips, getting comfortable, making Jack wait.

Jack looked over his shoulder. Then, he squeezed. Gabe's breathing stopped as Jack's insides rippled around him, squeezing him in waves that had him spurting pre and nearly blowing his load.

“The fuck?” he gasped, loving that feeling.

“It's a Molly thing,” Jack chuckled. “For dealing with stubborn Toms who don't give us want we want.”

“Shit,” Gabe hissed. God, but it felt so good. He wanted more. He drew back and thrust in.

“Fuck!” Jack yelped.

Gabe froze. “Shit! Did I hurt you? Fuck, Jack I'm—”

“No!” Jack gasped, looking over his shoulder again with bliss-blown eyes. “You're smooth.”

“I'm what?”

“Smooth,” Jack mewled, putting his head back down in the mud. “Tom Cats have barbed penises. Drives some Mollies wild. Hurts me like hell. I didn't know humans were smooth. Fuck....” He gasped, rippling around Gabe again. “Oh God, Gabe please! Don't stop! Please, you feel great!”

He didn't need to be told twice. He thrust in deep, bottoming out again. Jack squeezed around him, making spots dance in front of his eyes. He pulled out, pushed back in. Jack yowled happily, panting, fingers clawing at the mud. He looked so good like this, still mostly clothed, covered in mud, his broad back quivering. Some primal part of Gabe's brain liked the idea of covering Jack's strong form with his own. He sank down, putting one hand in the mud to steady them as he thrust in and out. Jack gasped, turning his head. Gabe kissed his ear, his cheek, his neck, anything he could reach.

“Gabe!” Jack mewled, eyes closed, face flush. “Gabe! God, yes!”

Everything he wanted was at his fingertips. He wanted Jack shouting his name, he wanted to see his pretty kitty undone with pleasure and know it was because of him.

“Jack....” he buried his nose into the soft hair, just behind the adorable black ear.

“Gabe,” Jack whimpered. “Please! I'm so close!”

“Anything for you, gatito.” Gabe slid his free hand between Jack's legs, wrapping his fingers around Jack's leaking cock and stroking him in time with the thrusts.

Jack gasped, back arching, hips thrusting. Three quick thrusts and Jack wailed, cumming into Gabe's fist. Gabe gasped into the white-blond hair as Jack clenched around his cock so tightly he couldn't hold back.

“Jack!” he gasped as he came, still stroking Jack through his orgasm.

Jack mewled as Gabe emptied himself.

“Fuck.” Gabe finally finished, slumping against Jack's back. “That was... shit. I don't even....”

“Amazing,” Jack purred, resting his head on his arm. “Hmm, you don't have a knot. Even better.”

“I don't even care what that is,” Gabe sighed, kissing Jack's ear. “As long as you're glad I don't have one.”

“Knots can be fun, just annoying after the fact.” Jack turned his head and looked up at Gabe through half-lidded eyes. “Not weird fucking me?”

Gabe smiled, running his thumb over the head of Jack's softening cock. “Not at all. I'm eager to do it again.”

Jack snorted. “I thought you humans were a one and done?”

“I have really good endurance,” Gabe said. “SEP's only enhanced it.”

“Among other things,” Jack chuckled.

Gabe grinned. “Naw, I've always been this impressive size.”

Jack snorted and laughed. “I was checking out your package from day one. You can't lie to me.”

“Well then, you like the improvements?”

“Very much.” Jack closed his eyes and sighed. “We should probably get back. They'll be missing us by now.”

“You always finish so quick?”

Jack grinned and opened his eyes. “I've been out of practice waiting for a thick-skulled human to pick up I was into him.”

“To be continued then.” Gabe carefully eased himself out. “Sorry about the mess.”

Jack shrugged as he pulled his pants up. “You didn't have to be a dick and tackle me into the mud.”

“You tackled me first,” Gabe said, putting himself back in his pants and zipping up. “And you knifed me. I liked this shirt.”

“You can make it up to me in the shower,” Jack said, getting to his feet as he buttoned his pants.

Gabe grinned. “What are we going to do with the other three minutes we have hot water?”

“I don't know,” Jack said, smirking. “Cuddle?”

A cheer went up from the direction of the blue base.

“The hell?” Gabe turned toward the noise.

“That'd be my team winning this round,” Jack said.

“Bullshit,” Gabe said, whipping back to face Jack. “I took your flag.”

Jack grinned. “Yeah. And we took yours. I just had to keep you from getting to your base first.”

Gabe gaped at his partner. “Did you use sex to distract me?”

“No. The knife fight was to distract you. The sex was for me.” He grinned. “And it was good sex.”

“You little—son of a—” Gabe couldn't think up a word that covered betrayal, shock, admiration, and respect all at once.

Jack pecked Gabe on the cheek as he walked toward his team's base. “All's fair in love and war. I just mixed the two.” He dipped down and picked something up. “Thanks for this.”

The blue team flag dangled from his fingers.

“It'll really improve my score.”

That moment, Gabe knew exactly what their book would say on the last page. They drove each other crazy in the best possible way.

“Jack!” He roared, sprinting after his partner.

Jack bolted, laughing, waving the flag over his shoulder. “Catch me if you can!”

Gabe smiled. He didn't care if he lost this round, or any round. All that mattered was getting even and making things interesting.

Who wanted something as boring as happily ever after anyways?

**Author's Note:**

> Translations:  
> gatito bonito- Pretty kitty


End file.
